UPDATE: St. Landry President ‘Impressed’ With Company’s Response To Ruptured Pipeline

St. Landry Parish President Bill Fontenot says the company that owns a pipeline North of Opelousas that ruptured today did a good job of containing the situation.

"We're celebrating right now something that could have been very catastrophic," Fontenot said.

"We were very impressed with their response time," he added.

Within two-three hours of the explosion, the pipe was shut down and emptied.

"CrossTex, they were the key to having good knowledge and probably good practice of their emergency response," Fontenot said.

There was no activity at the time of the rupture. A nearby resident reported a loud noise, which turned out to be the exploding pipe (it didn't ignite). Emergency responders got on the scene and it was under control within a few hours.

Update: Residents within a two-mile radius of Highway 182 and Harmon Lane in St. Landry Parish are being told to evacuate after a natural gas pipeline has exploded in that area, which is north of Opelousas.

Evacuees who need shelter are asked to report to the Yambilee Building in Opelousas. Children on school buses will not be brought back to homes in that area, but instead to the Yambilee Building.

You're asked to call the St. Landry Parish Government Office at 337-948-3688 if you have any questions.